The present invention relates to hinges, and more particularly to segmented hinges and hinges with tools and methods to mount and align hinges to hinged objects.
When a hinge is mounted to objects to be hinged with respect to each other, care must be taken to ensure proper alignment and mounting of the hinge and hinged objects. Doors that are in need of repair are often retrofitted with various types of hinges that are known for their increased strength among other factors. Hinges that are applied in the field are often installed under less than ideal conditions. To complete a quality field installation of a door, for example, the door must be maintained in proper alignment with the frame, requiring a prescribed set of clearances at each side of the door and at its top and bottom edges. If this is not done, the door may potentially rub against the frame or drag on the threshold, increasing the difficulty for persons entering or leaving the building as well as imposing additional stress and wear on all of the door hardware, such as locksets and automatic door closers.
Uniform industry standards for the design of butt hinges have been applied to doors and frames in the form of cutouts, or receiving mortises, that allow butt hinges to be fastened directly into these recesses. However, not all of the door alignment requirements are assured when the doors and frames are manufactured. Sometimes, particularly if the doors and frames arrive at the job site from different manufacturing sources, the cutouts or recesses may not correspond, creating misalignment problems that can affect the operating clearances. Also, the installation of frames can be affected by improperly dimensioned or misaligned wall openings, resulting in frame distortion that contribute to door misalignment. To install continuous hinges such as disclosed in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,092,870; 3,402,422; 4,976,008; 4,996,739; 4,999,878; 4,999,879; 4,999,880; 5,001,810; 5,201,902; 5,778,491 and 5,991,975, especially those types that are applied to the exterior faces of doors and frames when they are in need of hinge replacement, the installer typically must carefully remove the damaged hinges and mark and drill for the new fastener locations on both the door and the frame as best he can. All too often, when transferring the new screw hole locations from the continuous hinge to the door and frame, the hinge can shift, or the drill point can slide from the mark, contributing to poor door alignment when the installation is complete. Such fastener hole misplacements occur with even greater frequency when large holes are required for through-bolting, especially when hidden internal door reinforcements are encountered by the installer.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,346,029 teaches a butt hinge intended to be quickly and accurately hung. The hinge has channel portions which attach to a door with barbs and screws. Swinger members can be slid on or off the base plates for quick assembly and removal.
Also, it is often desirable that a continuous hinge match the door height so that resistance to the various forces acting on the door will be enhanced. Also, the sealing against the penetration of light, sound, and weather through the hinged edge of the door can be optimized when the hinge length is approximately equal to the door height. A wide variety of door heights exists, however. For instance, minimum residential door heights are typically 6xe2x80x2-8xe2x80x3, while doors for commercial and institutional applications are commonly 7xe2x80x2 or larger. It has been traditionally difficult to manufacture, handle, and store the many hinge lengths required to properly fit a variety of doors designed for architectural use.
Continuous hinges for these applications are subject to damage within the manufacturing environment because of the length and fragility of their component parts and because of consequential damage to the completed assembly during the various stages of shipment and transportation from the manufacturing site through the complex channels of distribution to the point of installation. Packaging, shipping, and shipping damage costs can become high because of the unusual ratio of length-to-girth or width of the package and the stringent requirements for protection against bending. In addition, the inventory storage requirements for these long and fragile hardware items are costly, because they require specialized shelving or racks at every intermediate location.
Costs are also present for obtaining and preserving the long lengths of the required hinge components before the assembly process can begin. The generation of manufacturing-scrap is increased at every stage if a part is dropped, twisted or bent, or if a fabrication or finishing defect appears within its length at any point in the manufacturing sequence. Unlike conventional butt hinges, which are comprised of smaller, easier to handle and cheaper parts, any such defect reduces or destroys the value of an inherently long continuous hinge part which can add substantially to the overall cost of manufacture. While continuous hinges for very tall doors have sometimes been pieced together to form assemblies that are longer than any practical manufactured length, little attention has been paid to properly aligning these segments during installation so that the segments simulate the function of a single hinge.
Further complexity and cost results from the difficulty of maintaining adequate inventory of each and every required length suitable to the variety of door heights used in the construction industry. While it is possible to manufacture continuous hinges in virtually any reasonable length for large orders, the availability of unusual custom lengths is often subject to long delays and high costs at each step of the manufacturing and distribution cycle. The retrofit and door repair industry, which is a very large portion of the market for continuous hinges, is typified by its requirement for the immediate availability of an enormous variety of models and lengths so that schools, hospitals, shopping malls and other commercial locations can have their doors quickly restored to proper operation for reasons of traffic flow, safety, and security.
Also, one of the more difficult steps in continuous hinge installation in the field is the proper marking and preparation of the fastener holes in a way which will insure the alignment of the door to its frame when the installation is complete. Currently, the installation of continuous hinges is dependent upon the skills of the individual installer. While individual butt or mortise hinges are typically fitted into cutouts with pre-threaded bolt holes prepared in both the door and the frame at their respective factories, continuous hinges are more frequently applied to the unprepared surfaces of doors and frames which offer little to assist in their alignment. Repair work in particular, where continuous hinges are used to overcome conditions in which conventional hinges have failed, is more dependent upon the skill level of the installer because the working environment as well as the condition of the door and frame components may be less than ideal, largely because the doors themselves may have suffered damage when their hinges failed and because the work must often be completed very quickly with a minimum of installation tools. Unless all of the fastener locations for a continuous hinge are carefully marked and drilled, the door will interfere with or rub against the frame following installation or shortly thereafter.
The present invention is directed to a hinge with first and second hinge members pivotally connected together. In one embodiment, a first mounting base having a first base length is provided for attachment to a first hinged object. The first hinge member and the first base are configured and dimensioned for cooperatively positioning and aligning the first hinge member in a plurality of mounted positions along the length of the first base. At least one first locking member is associated with the first hinge member and the first base for locking the first hinge member to the first base in one of the mounted positions, which preferably includes substantially a continuum of mounting positions over at least one range. The hinge may be a pinless hinge.
The preferred hinge has a hinge width with the first and second hinge members pivoted away from each other, and the ratio of the first length to the hinge width is greater than about 1.25, and more preferably greater than about 2. Also, the first base can be of integral construction with the first hinged object or otherwise attached thereto.
The first base of the preferred embodiment includes a ledge. The first hinge member includes a hook portion engageable around the ledge configured for mounting the first hinge member to the first base.
The locking member preferably has a locked position for locking the first hinge member to the first base, an unlocked position for releasing the first hinge member from the first base, and is movable in a locking direction between the unlocked and locked positions. The first base includes a fastening surface disposed at a fastening surface angle to the locking direction. The fastening surface angle is preferably between about 20xc2x0 and 60xc2x0, but it is anticipated that various cooperating profiles for hooking and locking the first hinge member and the first base to each other may be used, such as xe2x80x9cvxe2x80x9d shapes or inverted xe2x80x9cvxe2x80x9d shapes on each edge of the mounting base. The second mounting base and second hinge member may utilize alternate but functionally similar profiles as the first mounting base and the first hinge member, depending on the requirements and limitations of the door and frame materials and profiles, i.e., the first and second mounting bases need not be the same size or shape to function in a similar manner.
In this embodiment, the first base and the first hinge member have lateral edges that are engageable to each other for mounting the first hinge member to the first base. The hinge has a second mounting base for attachment to a second hinged object and for mounting the second hinge member.
A preferred hinge mounting system of the invention includes a first mounting base attachable to a first hinged object and configured and dimensioned for mounting a first mountable portion of a first hinge member thereto with the first base attached to the first hinged object. A mount assembly for a second hinge member and for attachment to a second hinged object is also provided. Preferably, the mount assembly comprises a second mounting base configured and dimensioned for mounting a second mountable portion of the second hinge member thereto with the second base attached to the second hinged object. The mounting system includes a positioning tool connected to the first base and to a mount assembly of the second hinge member. The mounting tool is configured for positioning the first base and mount assembly at a predetermined distance from each other for placement on and attachment to the hinged objects. The first and second hinge members may further be pivotally connected together.
The mounting system may include the first and second hinge members, for which the first mounting base and the mount assembly are configured and dimensioned for mounting thereto, respectively, being sized and connected together to position the first mounting base and the mount assembly at a mounted distance that is different than the predetermined distance set by the positioning tool. This may be achieved by selecting a first and second hinge member each having a total width when connected together that increases or decreases the spacing between the first mounting base and mount assembly after the hinge members are attached. This aspect of the invention is useful for adjusting the spacing or gap between the first and second hinged objects to be closer or farther apart than the their original spacing before the hinges are mounted.
In the preferred embodiment, the positioning tool is associated with the first base and the mount assembly for substantially restricting a distance between the first base and mount assembly to a preselected maximum or minimum distance. The positioning tool can be adjustable to select the maximum or minimum distance. The tool can include a flexible portion, and it may be substantially rigid.
An embodiment of the mounting tool has a magnet magnetically connecting the positioning tool to the first base. Another embodiment uses non-magnetic means to connect the positioning tool to the first base.
An embodiment of the mounting system has a disconnect portion that is frangible and disposed such that severing of the disconnect portion causes the positioning tool to disconnect the first base from the mount assembly. Another embodiment contains one or more pierced openings to allow the installer to peer through the frangible or solid positioning tool to properly align it with the interface between the door and the frame or other hinged objects. The disconnect portion of an embodiment includes a tearstrip configured for severing the positioning tool at the disconnect portion.
An embodiment of the tool further includes a hinged object spacer having a thickness and protruding from the positioning tool at an angle with respect to the direction of the predetermined distance and configured for setting a clearance between the hinged objects depending the thickness of the object spacer.
An embodiment of the tool may include means for adjusting the positioning of the hinged bases to accommodate differences in the attachment planes of the hinged objects.
In one embodiment, at least the first base includes an adhesive configured and disposed for attaching to the first hinged object. In another embodiment, at least one of the first base and the positioning tool includes first and second segments of non-unitary construction.
An embodiment of the hinge is segmented and includes a first hinge member attachable to a hinged object and a second hinge member attachable to another hinged object. The first and second hinged member are pivotally connected together. Preferably, a clamp is provided to pivotally connect the first and second hinge members. At least the clamp or both hinge members of this embodiment are segmented into at least first and second segments disposed in longitudinal series. One embodiment has the first and second hinge members collectively segmented into the first and second segments. The first and second hinge members of an embodiment include at least lateral or longitudinal support configuration, and the support configuration is different in the first and second segments. The support configuration in the first hinge segment is preferably free of longitudinal supports between the hinge members, such that the hinge members in the first segment are is movable longitudinally relative to each other.
In the second hinge segment, the support configuration includes at least one longitudinal support for restricting relative longitudinal movement between the hinge members. Another embodiment has a mounting base configured for attachment to a hinged object, wherein the first hinge member and base are configured and dimensioned for cooperatively positioning and aligning the first hinge member to the base. Preferably, the mounting base is segmented into first and second segments disposed in longitudinal series. In another embodiment, a coupling member is provided that is configured for coupling the first and second segments together with the hinge detached from the hinged objects.
Another embodiment of the hinge is segmented, preferably including a pin pivotally connecting knuckle portions of first and second hinge members. At least one of the first and second hinge members and the pin of this embodiment is segmented into first and second segments disposed in longitudinal series. One embodiment has the first and second hinge members collectively segmented into the first and second segments. The first and second hinge members of an embodiment include at least lateral or longitudinal support configuration, and the support configuration is different in the first and second segments. The support configuration in the first segment is preferably movable longitudinally between the hinge members, accomplished by allowing extra longitudinal spacing between the knuckle of the connected hinge members. In the second hinge segment, the support configuration includes at least one pair of knuckles that restrict relative longitudinal movement between the hinge members.
The preceding pinned hinge is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,491, with particular reference to FIG. 12 therein and the accompanying discussion; this patent being incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 12 depicts a first segment 142 wherein the connected hinge members are movable longitudinally with respect to each other. Second segment 160 depicted in FIG. 12 has a support configuration wherein at least one pair of knuckles restrict relative longitudinal movement between the hinge members. Of course, the present invention may be used with other pinned hinges such as the covered type hinge described in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,975, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The mounting base of a segmented embodiment is segmented into first and second base segments disposed in longitudinal series. In an embodiment, at least one of the base members may be mounted to the hinged members in a non-segmented length approximately equal to the full height of a door or a frame. Similarly, at least one of the hinge members may be non-segmented and mounted to base members in which one or both may be segmented in order to accommodate the installation of segmented hinged objects such as xe2x80x9cDutchxe2x80x9d doors.
In an embodiment, a hinge has first and second hinge members attachable to first and second hinged objects. A joining member, such as a clamp or a pin, is provided for pivotally connecting the first and second hinge members together in coupled association. At least the joining member or both hinge members are segmented into at least first and second segments. At least one coupling member is also provided that is configured for coupling the first and second segments together with the hinge detached from the hinged objects and coaxially aligned and disposed in longitudinal series. In an embodiment, both the hinge members and joining member are segmented into at least first and second segments that are connected by coupling members.
In a preferred method of mounting a hinge to two hinged objects, a first base is aligned and spaced in a mounting position from a mount assembly of a second hinge member with a positioning tool. The first base is attached to a first hinged object in the mounting position, and a first hinge member that is pivotally connected to the second hinge member is aligned and mounted to the first base. The mount assembly may then be attached to a second hinged object, and the second hinge member may then be attached thereto.
The mounting portion is preferably connected to the first base and the mount assembly in connected association with the positioning tool. The connected association is disconnected, with the first member mounted to the first base.
In some embodiments of the invention, the mounting base for one hinge member and the mount assembly for the other hinge member are positioned with a positioning tool at a predetermined distance. When the hinge members are mounted to the first base and mount assembly, these are positioned at a mounted distance with respect to each other that is different than the predetermined distance.
An embodiment of a mounting base has an attachment portion and a fastening assembly associated with the attachment portion for selectively attaching in a plurality of positions to the hinged object at an attachment position on the hinged object.
In an embodiment, a positioning tool for mounting a hinge is provided having a first base positioner and a detachable second base positioner. The base positioners are configured and adapted for receiving a first and second hinge mounting base; the bases for mounting to a first and second hinged object, respectively. A connecting means, which may be a fastener, releaseably holds the first and second mounting base positioners together. The positioning tool may further comprise the first and second base positioners each having a base retaining portion for placement over the first and second mounting bases, respectively, and a handle portion which is angularly disposed at an angle to the contact portion and may be used to grasp the tool. The angle is about 90 degrees in one embodiment. In one embodiment, the offset means comprises the handle portion of the first base positioner having a round opening for receiving the connecting means and the handle portion of the second base positioner having an elongated opening for receiving the connecting means. This arrangement allows the offset to be formed via the slidable connection between the handle portions.
In another embodiment, the aforementined positioning tool may further have a releasably attached hinged object spacer. The spacer projects a distance outwards from the positioning tool for placement into a gap formed between a first and second hinged object to which hinges are applied. In another embodiment, an adjustment means is provided for varying the projection distance.
A segmented positioning tool in one embodiment, which has a longitudinal axis, has a first and second base positioner that is configured and adapted for receiving a first and second hinge mounting base; the bases for mounting to a first and second hinged object, respectively. The tool is segmented into at least first and second longitudinal segments. In one embodiment, at least one hinge is provided that is laterally arranged on the tool for holding the at least first and second segments in a pivotable relationship.
The present invention eases the task of hinge installation and improves the quality of door operation by enabling pre-alignment of the hinge or hinge segments to the hinged objects before the hinge is installed. Whether the hinge is installed as a single piece or arrives at the installation in multiple lengths to be joined together endwise, this invention allows increased speeds of installation and improved operation of the door opening.
Yet another advantage of this invention is the improved appearance and security of the hinges. Previous to this invention, many continuous hinges utilize full-length moldings whose sole purpose is to conceal fasteners to improve security and appearance. These costly extra moldings can be eliminated because the fasteners that hold the hinges to the door and to the frame can be covered by the hinge members themselves, thereby hindering or preventing unauthorized access to the fasteners or removal of the hinge.
It should be noted that the hinges of the present invention may be mounted in a variety of configurations, several of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. For example, the segmented hinge may be provided, with one or more segments being capable of longitudinal support as shown in FIG. 36. The hinge may utilize segments that are all capable of longitudinal support if desired. In another embodiment, one hinge member may be segmented while its mating hinge member may be of continuous length. In yet another embodiment, the mounting base may be segmented while the hinge members are continuous or divided into sections segmented in different lengths than the mounting base as shown in FIG. 35. Alternatively, one of the two (or more) mounting bases can be continuous while the other(s) is/are segmented. Of course, any of the foregoing combinations may be used; for example, segmented bases with segmented hinge sections, segmented hinge sections with non-segmented bases or vice versa, one of the bases or hinge members being continuous and the other segmented, one or more of the foregoing hinge members being capable of longitudinal support, etc. Preferably, the joints between segments of the mounting bases should not be located at the same vertical location or position (on the door and frame) as the joints between segments of the hinge members.